October 26, 2018

I have great power.That’s what she told me. The old fortune-teller at the school carnival.I thought I was doing the right thing … with the magic journal she gave me. But nothing could prepare me for what happened next.Or, for what I unleashed.

At
a school carnival, a mysterious fortune-teller gives twelve-year-old
Angela Ashby a journal and warns her to use it wisely. Nothing prepares
Angela for the journal’s power—when she pours her heart onto its pages
her desires come true.

She tests the journal by conjuring a
gnome, a unicorn, and a farting fairy and then uses it to stop the
school bullies in their tracks. But the unintended consequences alienate
her best friend and puts her favorite teacher in danger of losing her
job.

After she shares her deepest desire of all—that her parents
get back together—her adversary steals the journal, and Angela fears she
will use it to bring mayhem to the entire school if she doesn’t get it
back.

Praise for THE JOURNAL OF ANGELA ASHBY:

"Gardner has created a likable character
in Angela, who faces off with the class bully in defense of herself and
her best friend. Alternately full of sass and seriousness, Angela
quickly learns that writing in her new journal may lead to some
unintended consequences, some hilarious and some grave. An enjoyable
tween romp about the familiar world of bullies mixed with a bit of
magic, this one would be great for a class read or group discussion." ―Seattle Book Review

"The Journal of Angela Ashby is a middle
grade fiction by Liana Gardner and is perfectly written for the target
audience. A combination of magic, childhood troubles, social messages,
and the need to think before acting is prevalent, and a lesson well
ingrained into the pages, There is some good tension building,
injections of humour, and character development. Angela and Mallory make
a great team, perfectly complementing each other in the way close
friends do. This is certainly a book I will read with my son when he is
older, as I think it instills some important lessons and values,much
like the old 80's and 90's cartoons used to do. While the book itself
has a clear beginning and end, there are hints that a sequel may follow,
and it's certainly something I would consider picking up. If you're
looking for a story of friendship, childhood problems, and a healthy
sprinkling of magic in everyday life, then look no further." ―K.J. Simmill, Award-Winning British Author

"The Journal of Angela Ashby by Liana
Gardner is a charming story of action and consequence. Gardner presents
her characters and their problems with an equal touch of magic and
reality. This allows the message of the tale to come through while
entertaining instead of preaching. Gardner does a great job of taking
what could be a clichéd story and putting a few twists in it to keep it
fresh and humorous." ―Kris Moger, Readers' Favorite

"The Journal of Angela Ashby is an
engaging and fun coming-of-age story about a twelve-year-old girl who is
suddenly the possessor of great power. I loved following as Angela
began to appreciate her journal's powers and realized the importance of
carefully considering everything she wished for.Throughout the story,
Gardner addresses the issue of bullies and bullying, which is something
all kids and most adults have to deal with at some point, and she shows
how Angela learns to differentiate between solving the problem and
descending into bullying behavior herself.Gardner also admirably
addresses the stress and confusion felt by kids and tweens when their
mom and dad get divorced. The Journal of Angela Ashby is a marvelous
fantasy that brings up real-life issues without lowering the magic and
fun potential for a moment, and Sam Shearon's illustrations really make
it all come alive most brilliantly." ―Jack Magnus, Author

You can purchase The Journal of Angela Ashby at the following Retailers:

Another thought hit. One I couldn’t stop giggling over. I grabbed the journal and scribbled quickly.

A
fairy dressed in a lilac and purple dress, with short dark hair and
rainbow wings stood next to Mallory and picked through the baggies of
food. Mallory didn’t notice.

And I wasn’t going to tell her. I waited.

The
cat, nose to the ground, hind end held high, crawled out of the bushes.
One stealthy step at a time, it stalked the fairy as she checked out
Mallory’s lunch. I held back a snicker.

Mallory’s nose wrinkled. “What is that obnoxious smell? Angela, did you fart?”

I broke out laughing. “No.”

But then the smell reached me and my laugh turned to a cough. Definitely foul.

“Then what is that smell? It’s horrid.” Mallory plugged her nose and her eye lit on the fairy. “What did you do, Angela?”

I took a deep breath to try to get my laughter under control. I nearly choked, which stopped the laughing.

Liana Gardner
is the award-winning author of 7th Grade Revolution and the Misfit
McCabeseries. Daughter of a rocket scientist and an artist, Liana
combines the traits of both into a quirky yet pragmatic writer and in
everything sees the story lurking beneath the surface. Engaged in a
battle against leukemia and lymphoma, Liana spends much of her time at
home, but allows her imagination to take her wherever she wants to go.She fostered her love of writing after
reading Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and discovering she had a great
deal in common with the character Jo. The making up of stories,
dramatic feelings, and a quick temper were enough for her to know she
and Jo would have been kindred spirits.Liana volunteers with high school students
through the International Trade Education Programs (ITEP). ITEP unites
business people and educators to prepare students for a meaningful place
in the world of tomorrow. Working in partnership with industry and
educators, ITEP helps young people “think globally and earn locally.”